scholarly journals Effects of sub-threshold transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on cerebral blood flow

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Conan Chen ◽  
Yixiang Mao ◽  
Maryam Falahpour ◽  
Kelly H. MacNiven ◽  
Gary Heit ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Cerebral Blood Flow ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Sustained Effects

AbstractTranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has shown promise as a non-invasive alternative to vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with implantable devices, which has been used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy and treatment-resistant depression. Prior work has used functional MRI to investigate the brain response to taVNS, and more recent work has also demonstrated potential therapeutic effects of high-frequency sub-threshold taVNS in rheumatoid arthritis. However, no studies to date have measured the effects of high-frequency sub-threshold taVNS on cerebral blood flow (CBF). The objective of this study was to determine whether high-frequency (20 kHz) sub-threshold taVNS induces significant changes in CBF, a promising metric for the assessment of the sustained effects of taVNS. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI scans were performed on 20 healthy subjects in a single-blind placebo-controlled repeated measures experimental design. The ASL scans were performed before and after 15 min of either sub-threshold taVNS treatment or a sham control. taVNS induced significant changes in CBF in the superior posterior cerebellum that were largely localized to bilateral Crus I and Crus II. Post hoc analyses showed that the changes were driven by a treatment-related decrease in CBF. Fifteen minutes of high-frequency sub-threshold taVNS can induce sustained CBF decreases in the bilateral posterior cerebellum in a cohort of healthy subjects. This study lays the foundation for future studies in clinical populations, and also supports the use of ASL measures of CBF for the assessment of the sustained effects of taVNS.

scholarly journals Effects of sub-threshold transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on cerebral blood flow

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conan Chen ◽  
Yixiang Mao ◽  
Maryam Falahpour ◽  
Kelly H MacNiven ◽  
Gary Heit ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Cerebral Blood Flow ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Brain Response

Background: Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has shown promise as a non-invasive alternative to vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with implantable devices, which has been used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy and treatment-resistant depression. Prior work has used functional MRI to investigate the brain response to taVNS, and more recent work has also demonstrated potential therapeutic effects of high-frequency sub-threshold taVNS in rheumatoid arthritis. However, no studies to date have measured the effects of high-frequency sub-threshold taVNS on cerebral blood flow (CBF). Objective/Hypothesis: The objective of this study was to determine whether high-frequency (20 kHz) sub-threshold taVNS induces significant changes in CBF. Methods: Arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI scans were performed on 20 healthy subjects in a single-blind placebo-controlled repeated measures experimental design. The ASL scans were performed before and after 15 minutes of either sub-threshold taVNS treatment or a sham control. Results: taVNS induced significant changes in CBF in the superior posterior cerebellum that were largely localized to bilateral Crus I and Crus II. Post hoc analyses showed that the changes were driven by a treatment-related decrease in CBF. Conclusions: Fifteen minutes of high-frequency sub-threshold taVNS can induce sustained CBF decreases in the bilateral posterior cerebellum in a cohort of healthy subjects. This study lays the foundation for future studies in clinical popluations to assess whether similar effects can be observed and are related to treatment outcomes.

Cerebral blood flow changes during vagus nerve stimulation for depression

2006 ◽  
Vol 146 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles R. Conway ◽  
Yvette I. Sheline ◽  
John T. Chibnall ◽  
Mark S. George ◽  
James W. Fletcher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Cerebral Blood Flow ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Flow Changes

Bursted auricular vagus nerve stimulation alters heart rate variability in healthy subjects

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jozsef Constantin Széles ◽  
Stefan Kampusch ◽  
Florian Thürk ◽  
Christian Clodi ◽  
Norbert Thomas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Healthy Subjects

scholarly journals Cardiac and Peripheral Autonomic Responses to Orthostatic Stress During Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Healthy Subjects

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleonora Tobaldini ◽  
Edgar Toschi-Dias ◽  
Liliane Appratto de Souza ◽  
Karina Rabello Casali ◽  
Marco Vicenzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Systolic Arterial Pressure ◽  
Pulse Frequency ◽  
Autonomic Control ◽  
Orthostatic Stress ◽  
Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Sympathetic Modulation

Previous studies showed that transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) modulates the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in resting condition. However, the autonomic regulation in response to an orthostatic challenge during tVNS in healthy subjects remains unknown. We tested the hypothesis that tVNS reduces heart rate (HR) and alters the responsivity of ANS to orthostatic stress in healthy subjects. In a randomized and cross-over trial, thirteen healthy subjects underwent two experimental sessions on different days: (1) tVNS and (2) control. Using a tVNS device, an auricular electrode was placed on the left cymba conchae of the external ear; an electric current with a pulse frequency of 25 Hz and amplitude between 1 and 6 mA was applied. For the assessment of ANS, the beat-to-beat HR and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) were analyzed using linear and nonlinear approaches during clinostatic and orthostatic conditions. In clinostatic conditions, tVNS reduced HR (p < 0.01), SAP variability (p < 0.01), and cardiac and peripheral sympathetic modulation (p < 0.01). The responsivity of the peripheral sympathetic modulation to orthostatic stress during tVNS was significantly higher when compared to the control session (p = 0.03). In conclusion, tVNS reduces the HR and affects cardiac and peripheral autonomic control and increases the responses of peripheral autonomic control to orthostatic stress in healthy subjects.

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